A fate worse than death~~A Finnick Odair story~~

33. Spawn of satan

Once inside his large closed doors, he grabbed my upper arm and pulled me into a hard and demanding kiss. I repaid it to the best of my ability, knowing full well what would happen if I didn't. Only when he parted our lips and stepped back to look at me could I breathe again.
"You've gotten tanner."
"The sun dos that to you."
"It suits you, makes you look more, sexe, beautiful."

It was probably the closest he would come to a compliment. Ever.
At least a genuine one.

Honestly, I didn't actually know why we were in a relationship.
Or I knew why I was, but him? Sometimes it just felt like he thought it was fun to call me his, not in an loving way, but in a possessive, then again, only now had we gone public, and what did the president have to gain by selling me out to this manchild?

Only when the first blow landed on my cheek was I pulled back to reality. "Are you even listening!!"
"You hit me."
Was all I could say as the horrible realization washed over me. He hit me. He physically hurt me, he had never done that before and so very slowly I brought my fingertips to my now tingling red cheek.
"Yes I did. But baby I promise it will never happen again, I don't know what came over me, I love you, but you didn't listen to me, can you forgive me."

He didn't ask, already knew I would blindly forgive. Not because I loved him but because I was afraid, not of what might happen to me but rather of what they might do to Ian.
"Of course I forgive you, love."
"And you will listen better in the future?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Right. Remember the interview I talked about last time?"
"The one you do and to tell everyone you're going to work closer to your grandfather yes, I remember." "Excellent! Well, baby he, or we thought this interview was the perfect opportunity to confirm our relationship, we've waited so long and-----."

Wait, was his grandfather involved in this too, had I met his grandfather? Now that I think about it, have I met anyone in his family?

No I don't think I have, well we talked about it at some point, his parents or something, but it would be too obvious, think Elizabeth think what did he say!
"Elizabeth, baby are you listening?" His expression had returned to anger and before he could land another punch I hurriedly answered.
"Yes of course, the interview and your grandfather, but I was thinking a little--."
"Whatever it was, I'm sure it can't be that important that we have to take it now."
"Don't you think I should meet your family before all this starts?"

"God no! My family likes their privacy and with news like this, the media would go crazy if even a word spread, it's better this way then everyone has time to prepare."
"But, are you sure I mean--."
"How hard is it for your little district brain to understand. My grandfather said no, I say no, you don't have to think just sit there and look pretty!" "Sorry."
I could almost have bitten my tongue, when did I become so weak, where did all the courage go, all the courage, thr freedom. Or maybe I'd never had anything.

He grabbed my hand and I looked up at him, mostly shocked.
"We have a little while before the peacekeepers come, how about we---." I didn't have to listen till the end of the sentence to know what he wanted.

To know I didn't want to. But I didn't show the slightest sign of that when I smiled and let him drag me off to the bedroom. He would have his way whether I wanted it or not, and I had learned so quickly that it was easier if I just played along.

But a thought burned in my head. He wasn't Finnick, and I desperately wished he was.

~~~

We were both escorted by peacekeepers, one in each direction.

As soon as I got inside the doors on the fourth floor and met everyone's eyes, I knew they knew something was wrong. But I wasn't going to reveal anything, nor did I want to scare our tributes. So instead of breaking down in the arms of the nearest persion, I pasted on a smile and exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry I'm late!! Love knows no bounds sometimes, but I trust you guys did amazing!"
Everyone smiled, and Annie and Mags confirmed my statement, no one could see through the mask, that's how skilled I had become, no one but Finnick that is.

He was playing along for the others' convenience, but I knew he wasn't buying my excuse. But he wouldn't expose me, wouldn't put me on the spot like that, but the questions would come no doubt.
The biggest question was just whether I would dare to answer or not.

~~~

After our little embarrassing meeting, I sat as if glued in front of the TV. I didn't know if I was waiting for, or dreading the upcoming interview, but I had to see. If not for my own illness, then certainly because Cory would quiz me on every word he said. He did that sometimes, thought it was to see if I was paying attention, but really I thought it was just to boost his, if huge, fragile ego.

Then the all-too-familiar music began. Everything towards focus was immediately on the television and Caesar Flickerman's face dissolved the screen.
"Good evening Panem!! May I have a standing ovation for tonight's special guest Coryolanus Freyy!!"

I froze when he mentioned Cory's full name, I was sure I had heard it somewhere, but where, not with Cory, Cory had always been Cory, but where else would it be?!

I was so focused that I didn't even notice that Finnick sat down next to me, let alone that he took a hold of my tightly clenched hand. I put all my focus, every brain cell on the tv. That and the person behind the screen.

"I heard we have bin upgraded to two big news!!"
Caesar turned to the audience and told them that Cory was only going to tell one thing tonight, but until the very end. He paused dramatically, even though everyone knew he was talking about me and Cory, it had become two.

Cory confirmed it, and when Caesar asked about us, a mysterious smile grew on Cory's lips.
"Well Caesar, Miss Whitmore's secret crush has been talked about for a long time, but I will be the first, and hopefully the only one to ever confirm that it is us. We love each other and I am so incredibly happy to call that beautiful woman mine!!"

The crowd's cheers and roars became unstoppable and Caesar was busy silencing them in order to continue with the interview.

Only then did I dare meet Finnick's gaze, he looked empty, just hollow and the tears that started to form in my eyes didn't make it any better. Both of them moshed the following questions, and we probably wouldn't have watched more of the interview if it wasn't for Cory, with almost no effort at all, recapturing my attention.

"Yes, as I would also say, I am here to more superficially confirm that I will work more closely with my grandfather."
"How exciting!!"
Cory didn't look happy to be interrupted, but his features snapped back into a smile.
"Yes, I think so. But to make it even more clear, and also certain that I take my role at his side very seriously, I will also change our family name, which when you think about it, is the highest of honors!"

"You're kidding! Folks, do you understand what this means?!!"
He was facing the camera this time, facing me, and I had no idea what that meant, and, as ordered, Caesar explained.
"This means that I, here and now?"
He looked a little questioningly at Cory and he nodded in agreement. "Right now, I Caesar Flickerman am sitting here with this generation's Coryolanus Snow, grandson of the President himself!!"

Whit that my chin was on the floor, and tears were silently streaming down my cheeks.

I had many times wondered about all the secrets, the family, the names and above all, why him.

But now I understood why my price was so low. I had been given up to the spawn of Satan himself.